Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 12, 1943)
6 Heppner Gazette Times, August 12, 1943 s OHiWOI lii mhiii iiiiiiKriiijiiiTlli Washington, D. C, Aug 12 Rumor has it that Alvin J. Wirtz, recently appointed by Secretary of the In terior Harold Ickes as a consultant on power matters, will put in con siderable time in the northwest. Wirtz, who was an under-secretary of the interior in 1940-41, is a pro tegee of "Honest" Harold, who placed him in charge of the Bonne ville power administration during that time. Mr. Ickes believes Wirtz knows as much as anyone about the electric power situation in Washington and Oregon- Among other things, the consultant will make a further report on the con templated Umatilla rapids project, which has been in the blueprint stage for years. Another look-see will also be made of Grand Coulee by Mr. Wirtz. The story goes that Secretary Ickes is not too well pleased with, the progress made in the northwest by the public power advocates, who have been defeated time after time in their attempts to take over the private utilities. The voters in most all such elections have said No. Another source of information says that ex-Congressman Walter Pierce who during his 10 years as an east ern Oregon representative, packed the torch for public power, will join the Bonneville staff. Pierce, who is an experienced campaigner along such lines, aslo has a wide acquaintance in the northwest and it is understood his talents will be used in that direction.. To the degree that agricultural conditions may be judged by a sur vey of conditions in 35 counties in various parts of the United States, just completed by the department of agriculture, the American farm er is far more prosperous than the attitude of farm lobbyists and farm bloc 'congressmen would indicate. According to this survey, northwest farmers are buying better food, better clothing and banking more savings than they did in the boom days of world war No. 1, and this situation is said to exist nationally. Figures released by the federal farm loan bank show current payments have been met t-nd considerable amounts of money have been de posited for future payments. One reason advanced for larger savings entering farmer savings accounts is that farmers have been unable to buy new machinery and in other ways have been forced by circum stances to limit their spending. It should be understood, of course, that conditions in 35 counties do not necessarily present a true picture of the nation-wide agricultural sit uation, but officials in the depart ment of agriculture assert that with a national farm income this year greater than the 1942 record of $18,(528,000 there can be no ques tion but that, in a broad way, agri culture is prospering. The old story about the city slick er taking the farmer is working in jreverse these days, according to high officials in the department of agriculture- Farm land prices have gone sky high and many farmers are unloading at unheard of prices. It is feared a price collapse will re sult after the war, unless steps are taken to curb the boom, such as happened after world war No. 1. After the last war flocks of insur ance companies, mortgage loan as sociations, private investors and others were left holding the sack on farm loans from coast to coast, which resulted in serious losses and wrecked many financial institutions. A repetition of such a happening is the thing the department of agri culture wants to avoid. It is said legislation in some form will be asked by the deartment by which farm land prices can be controlled. Secretary of the Treasury Mon genthau still insists a steeper in- come tax is the proper answer to his prayer for $12 billion more revenue- Tax experts, on the other hand, say any such increase in taxes will fall squarely on the middle income groups, the white collared worker, whose salary has not increased anything like others but whose living costs have. All tax men agree corporations and others in the higher income brack ets are now paying the limit, which is from 4 0 to 90 percent on their incomes- Many members of the house ways and means committee have remained here all during the recess, wrestling with the new tax bill which they hope to have ready for the house hopper, come Sept. 1... However, several key men on the committee are of the opinion by far the larger amount of Morgen thau's additional $12 billion will have to come from some other E&urce than income taxes. They ar gue the only out, so to speak, is a piles tax which would raise the ad ditional amount of money needed. These same congressmen are frank to say they doubt very much if the house will accept any bill which has for its purpose heavier income taxes, at least until all other expe dients for additional revenue have been exhausted. UP FROM PORTLAND Mrs. Everett Harshner returned from Portland Sunday accompanied by Vera McDaniel who is in the personnel department of one of the ship yards. Miss McDaniel is visiting her parents. Mr- and Mrs. Letter Robinson at Hardman. SPENT WEEK IN PORTLAND Lowell Ashbaugh returned to Heppner Thursday after spending a week in Portland. PORTLAND VISITORS Albert Rea and Harley Matteson E Portland visitor? a f.v. days the past week. VISITING IN PORTLAND Mr. -.nd Mrs. Clair Ashbaugh are among Heppner people visiting in Portland. They drove to the city Sunday execting to spend most of tht. week there. They were joined by their daughter, Mrs. Boyd Red ding, at Hood River, who drove to the city with them. VISITING HERE Mr. and Mrs. William Blake have been spending a few days in Hepp ner with relatives, the Earl Blake and David Wilson families, coming from San Jose, Calif., where "Bill" recently completed a course with the army signal corps. He is expect ing call to regular service soon. GOES TO SEA Friends have received word that Clyde Pettyjohn recently com pleted his training course at Orange Tex., naval training station and is seeing service on the high seas- lime to In Your Hay! You can not afford to lose your hay for the sake of a few dollars. Come in and talk it- over with us. F. W. TURNER Real Estate and Insurance Phone 152 Heppner, Oregon It's a Beautiful Summer But It Won't Last Forever ..... Yes, it is a beautiful summer eiiee warm days, pleasant evcraisigs, coo! nights hut it won't fact much long er. A touch of- mil is due before long Giul thai z?imn& m that the house end otIcr hmdhi$s should ho put in cood rcnair. We can't offer you materials for general building but we can pro vide you with the necessities for making repairs ROLL ROOFING OF ALL KINDS CEDAR SHINGLES PATCHING MATERIALS SHINGLE NAILS ROOFING GALVINIZED ROOF NAILS Estimate your needs right now and place your order. Better be safe than sorry. Tum-a-Lum Lumber Co. Hppntr, Oregon 'iiiniiiiiimmnmjumuiiiiiimmiiiiiinntri iiiiiiianniiiuiii n.imiuiiHin.;.nr,ntTimiiiini.umnmmii.uini They're Popular! Those combination Calling ' Correspondence Cards Complete your stationery cabinet with a supply of these up-to-the-minute cards. Handy for Thank You notes, brief .correspondence while traveling or for calling cards. You can learn more about them at The Gazette Times Printery